Best Lawyers in New York, United States for Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Sara A. Maldonado is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Criminal Defense: White-Collar and Litigation - Securities. Sara A., who practices law in New York, New York, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Sara A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Masha Bresner focuses her practice on internal investigations, government enforcement actions, and other criminal and enforcement matters. Prior to joining WilmerHale, Ms. Bresner was the director of operations for the New York office of a leading business intelligence firm where she led international investigations in support of litigation and arbitration. In that role, she conducted complex international asset-tracing exercises, identified ties between target individuals or companies and cr...
Daniel Merzel is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Criminal Defense: White-Collar. Daniel, who practices law in New York, New York, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Daniel is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Leesa Haspel is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Criminal Defense: White-Collar. Leesa, who practices law in New York, New York, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Leesa is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Debolina Das focuses her practice on all aspects white collar, government, and internal investigations and litigation, primarily in the health care industry—including insurers, pharmaceutical companies, and pharmacy benefits managers. Debolina also frequently counsels and defends corporate and individual clients in criminal and civil investigations by the Department of Justice and Food and Drug Administration, as well as regulatory investigations and enforcement actions by other federal...
Dillon Westfall is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Criminal Defense: White-Collar. Dillon, who practices law in New York, New York, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Dillon is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Rachel Jackson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Criminal Defense: White-Collar. Rachel, who practices law in New York, New York, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Rachel is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Byron Pacheco is a litigation partner in Kirkland’s New York office. His practice focuses on complex commercial disputes, both at the trial court level and on appeal, in a variety of substantive areas, including contract disputes, securities class actions, consumer class actions, corporate governance, founder disputes, fraud, products liability, labor and employment, and securities matters. Byron also counsels public companies and private equity clients on transaction-related litigation...
Yelena Niazyan is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Criminal Defense: White-Collar and Litigation and Controversy - Tax. Yelena, who practices law in New York, New York, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Yelena is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Helen Gugel is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Criminal Defense: White-Collar, Litigation - Securities and Securities Regulation. Helen, who practices law in New York, New York, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Helen is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Anissa L. Adas is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Criminal Defense: White-Collar. Anissa L., who practices law in New York, New York, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Anissa L. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Claire Guehenno focuses her practice on government and internal corporate investigations, and other criminal and enforcement matters. She has represented global corporations, financial institutions, and individuals in civil and criminal investigations before the Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal Trade Commission, and other domestic and foreign government authorities.
Charles Berk is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Criminal Defense: White-Collar and Litigation - Securities. Charles, who practices law in New York, New York, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Charles is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Gaurav Talwar is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense: White-Collar and Litigation - Securities. Gaurav, who practices law in New York, New York, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Gaurav is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Kenton Atta-Krah is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Criminal Defense: White-Collar. Kenton, who practices law in New York, New York, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kenton is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.